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The Edible Backyard
fun!
A ~ field guide for kids
to edible plants of Mount Desert Island
Cassandra Sisco
Contents
Introduction
Illustrated Glossary
Edible Botany
Fruits
Blueberry
Wild Strawberry
Blackberry
Rose
Veggies
Dandelion
Cattail
Beach Pea
Nuts
American Beech
Beaked Hazelnut
Cold Drinks
Staghorn Sumac
Highbush Cranberry
Wintergreen
Mushrooms
Giant Puffball
Chicken-of -the- Woods
Recipes and Tips
My Map
My Field Journal
Suggested Reading
Introduction
A world of possibilities
A lot of kids today think that food just comes from the grocery store. What
you may not realize is that there are many wild edible plants free for the
eating all around you. With this guide and an adventurous spirit, you can turn
the natural world - from seashore to roadside and even your own backyard -
into your own personal supermarket.
Wild plants and people
Plants and people have shared this planet for a very long time and man has
utilized the plants around him for many purposes, including shelter, fuel,
medicine, and food. It is estimated that throughout history humans have
used about 3,000 species of plants as food sources. Our ancestors learned
over time which plants were most nutritious and which were dangerous and
passed that knowledge on to successive generations. This process was very
important because for most of our existence, about 90% of it, humans
survived by hunting animals and gathering wild plants. As people began to
cultivate certain plants and produce their own food by farming, the number
of species they ate dropped to around 200. Today, there are only about 20
plants in the world that are considered major food crops.
A few words about safety...
Curiosity is essential to learning new things, like how to forage for wild
foods, but you should always use common sense when looking for edible
plants. You shouldn't eat anything you find out there if you are not absolutely
sure you know what it is. Animals and people both seek the primary
compounds in plants like sugars that are used for growth. Plants produce
fruits and flowers to attract animals to help pollinate them and spread their
seeds, but they also make chemicals called secondary compounds to protect
them from predators and parasites. This is why there are plants that can
make you very sick if you eat them, so it's a smart idea to bring a helpful
adult and some other books along with you on your explorations to assist
with plant identification. See the back of this guide for reading suggestions.
(
...and a few more about respect
When collecting plants, you should not only think of your health but also of
the health of the land. All living things are connected in ways you can't
always see. You might not be aware of the negative consequences that your
actions have on the environment. Plants live in communities just like you do
and you should respect them. Be careful not to take too much from one area.
A good rule is not to take more than you will use and to leave enough for the
next person or animal that comes along. Also try to cause as little
disturbance to the area as possible by being careful not to squash delicate
plants or to leave behind any trash. It is also important to keep in mind that
you are not allowed to take plants from Acadia National Park.
How to use this guide
This guide is organized into sections based on the types of wild foods you
will discover, from familiar fruits to more mysterious mushrooms. Every
plant is illustrated and you can color the parts in based on their descriptions.
You'll learn where to look for edible wild plants and how you can spot them.
At the back of the guide there is a field journal where you can record all the
details of your adventures as well as a recipe section. Happy hunting!
(
Illustrated Glossary
Most of the plants that we eat are flowering plants,
also called angiosperms. This illustration of a tomato
plant shows the major organs of a flowering plant.
These basic vegetative structures are roots, stems,
flowers, ovaries, and seeds.
Scientists estimate
that there are
about 350,000
species of plants on
the planet.
V
Edible Botany
Roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil and keep plants firmly in the
ground. The taproots that people typically eat are sweet or starchy because
this is where plants store the food they need to grow, sometimes over the
course of several years. Some roots that we eat are carrots, sweet
potatoes, and beets.
Food circulates downward through the stem while water and minerals travel
upward. Stems provide the plant with structure, holding leaves up for
maximum sun exposure and displaying fruits and flowers. Some stems we eat
are asparagus and potatoes. Yes, potatoes. Potatoes are really special
underground storage stems also called tubers.
Leaves get their green color from chlorophyll, a chemical that is essential to
photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants make food
from light. Generally, the darker the leaves, the more packed with vitamins
they are and the better they are for you. Some leaves we eat are spinach
and lettuce. Surprisingly, onions are leaves. The onion bulbs we eat are the
fleshy leaf bases of the plant.
People appreciate flowers because they look and smell nice, but this is also
very important for the plant. Animals such as insects and birds are
attracted to certain flowers because of their particular form, color, and
odor. The animals then get tricked into pollinating the plants, picking up
sticky or powdery pollen from one flower and carrying it to another.
Broccoli and cauliflower are flower clusters that we pick before they have a
chance to blossom.
The fruit of a plant is the ovary. Ovaries hold the seeds of the plant,
protecting them and providing a means of dispersal. Technically many
vegetables we eat like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and peppers are fruits.
A seed is really a vessel that contains ar\ embryo, stored food, and a
protective outer coat. A seed has everything the plant needs to germinate
and grow into a seedling, which is why seeds are very nutritious. Some seeds
that we eat are beans, peas, popcorn, and peanuts.
Fruits
We have already learned that a fruit is
technically the ovary of a plant. The plants in
this section are fruits in the traditional sense
of the word - sweet berries that you can pick
and eat fresh or make into pies and jams. Fruits
are great for the beginning forager because
they are easy to find and identify and don't
require much preparation, aside from removing
stems. Rinsing fruit well is also recommended,
especially if you collected from a busy roadside.
This section features some common and tasty
fruits that are abundant throughout the island
during the summer months.
Blueberry
Scientific name: Vaccinium ssp.
Habitat: Blueberries particularly like acidic and disturbed soils, including
places where there has been fire. They are usually found in bogs, open
woods, and clearings.
Description: Low shrubs to high bushes. Flowers look like bells and are
whitish. The berries are blue to black and can look waxy or powdery. The less
showy outer part of the flower, called a calyx, will still be visible on the
berry after the petals are gone. It is shaped like a star.
Flowers: April - June Fruit: June - September
blue
calyx
Wild Strawberry
Scientific name: Fragaria virginiana
Habitat: Wild strawberries are found in fields and open places.
Description: Low fuzzy plants. They have long leaves with 3 toothed
leaflets. Flowers have white petals and yellow centers. Fruit will be lower
than the leaves. They are smaller than what you find in the grocery store,
but much sweeter!
Flowers: April - June Fruit: June - September
white
The first part of the
scientific name for
strawberries is
Fragaria. Does this
word look familiar?
Strawberries got their
name because they
have such a sweet
fragrance.
/
Blackberry
Scientific name: Rubus ssp.
Habitat: Blackberries grow in sunny thickets, or dense shrubby areas.
Description: Shrubs reaching heights of up to 10 feet. Leaves have arching
stems and typically 3 toothed leaflets. The plant is prickly, so be careful
when picking fruit. Flowers are showy and white with 5 petals. Fruit is pale
red to dark bluish black. Blackberries are glossy, soft, and juicy.
Flowers: April - July Fruit: June - September
Rose
Scientific name: Rosa rugosa
Habitat'- Seashores and roadsides are good places to find these roses.
Description: A large coarse and bristly shrub. Leaves commonly have 7-9
wrinkled leaflets. Flowers are large with 5 petals and range in color from
pale to deep pink. Fruit is also called the hip. It is large and smooth and
reddish orange with 5 calyx lobes at end.
Flowers: June - September Fruit: July - October
bristly
*. hi P
Veggies
This section is all about variety. This chapter
includes plants that you prepare as vegetables,
from salads and cooked greens to substitutes
for asparagus and potatoes. You will see plants
with edible parts from all of the major plant
part categories like roots, leaves, and even
flowers. You will find these plants in different
types of habitats around the island. The first
plant is the easiest in the whole guide to find...
and probably in your backyard right now.
Dandelion
Scientific name: Taraxacum officinale
Habitat: Dandelions pop up everywhere, including lawns, roadsides, and
most other open places.
Description: Low weedy plant with solitary yellow flowers. Seedballs are
fluffy and white (you've probably made a wish on one). Leaves have sharp
irregular lobes and the stems are hollow and milky when broken.
Flowers: March - September
Though most gardeners
might not agree, this plant
is an excellent wild green.
The leaves are a rich
source of vitamins A and C
and have more calcium and
iron than spinach.
V
Cattail
Scientific name: Typha fati folia
Habitat: Cattails are found in dense stands in marshes, which are shallow
bodies of fresh or slightly salty still water.
Description: Familiar plants are tall, from 2 to 9 feet in height. Leaves
swordlike and up to six feet long. Stems are stiff and f lowerheads are
shaped like sausages, green first and brown later.
Flowers: May - July
Beach Pea
Scientific name: Lathyrus japonicus
Habitat". The beach pea is found not surprisingly on sandy or gravelly
shores and beaches.
Description: A low plant, about 1 or 2 feet in height. Leaves have curling
tendrils at the ends and arrowhead-shaped stipules at the base with oval
leaflets. Flowers are pink to purple. Seedpods look like garden peas, but
smaller.
Flowers: June - August Fruit: August - September
Nuts
Unlike peanuts or almonds, which are seeds,
these plants produce true nuts. A nut is a
fruit characterized by a hard or stony ovary
wall. Nuts are a rich source of protein and
also of healthy fats. Nuts can be stored for
later use, like during the winter when edible
plants are scarce, as many animals know.
They keep best when stored in a cool, dry,
dark place or in your refrigerator. Nuts can
be eaten raw or roasted. They are great
snack food. For a simple trail mix, combine
nuts with your favorite breakfast cereal and
dried fruits. This will give you lots of energy
when you go out on collecting trips.
American Beech
Scientific name: Fagus grandifolia
Habitat: This tree likes rich moist soils and is often found on slopes and
upland forest, sometimes near maple and birch trees. It can tolerate shady
spots better than other trees.
Description: Tall trees with smooth silvery or bluish-gray bark. Leaves are
long and toothed with pointed tips. They are thin and papery and bright
green in the summer, turning copper or gold in the autumn. Nuts are inside
bristly burr-like husks. You can open the husk easily with a thumbnail and
each contains 2-3 triangular brown nuts. The nuts are very sweet and are
tasty both raw and cooked. Beechnuts drop from their trees and can be
collected from the ground after the first few frosty nights of the fall.
Fruit: September - October
I ///.
bristly
brown
Beaked Hazelnut
Scientific name: Corylus cornuta
Habitat: You will find this plant growing in thickets and on the edges of
woods, along streams, and roadsides.
Description: A tall shrub, reaching heights of 10 feet. Leaves are coarsely
toothed with heart-shaped bases. Twigs are very smooth. The nuts are
completely surrounded by very bristly husks, which are beaklike with long
necks.
Fruit: August - September
bristly
Cold Drinks
Many refreshing beverages can be
made from wild plants. These plants
provide cold drinks that are good for
cooling down on summer days. They are
rich in vitamin C, which the body can't
make and must get from the diet.
Drinks from wild plants were
important to Native Americans and
early settlers for this reason. On long
trips, these drinks were sometimes
the only source of vitamin C, which
prevented them from getting scurvy
and loosing their teeth.
Staghorn Sumac
Scientific name: Rhus hirta
Habitat: This plant grows in fields and other open places.
Description: A shrub or small tree that can grow to be 10-20 feet tall. The
bark is dark and smooth but the stout twigs are covered in soft velvety
hairs. The fernlike leaves are 1-2 feet long with many toothed leaflets that
turn a deep red color in the fall. It has distinct clusters of red berry-like
hairy fruit.
Fruit: June - September
Staghorn sumac was
named for the way it
resembles antlers in
the winter. It is also
called the lemonade
tree because it
makes a tart
lemonade-like
beverage.
/
Highbush Cranberry
Scientific name: Viburnum trilobum
Habitat: You will find this plant growing in thickets in cool woods and rocky
slopes or along sea shores.
Description: A tall shrub that can grow to a height of 17 feet. Leaves are
toothed and have 3 distinct pointed lobes. The small whitish flowers grow in
clusters on the plant. The bright red berries also grow in clusters and are
juicy and ripe.
Flowers: May - July Fruit: September - October
red
Wintergreen
Scientific name: Gaultheria procumbens
Habitat*. These little plants are found in poor or rocky soils and in woods,
usually under the shade of evergreen trees.
Description". Small plant, about 2-5 inches from the ground. Leaves are
evergreen and shiny. The smooth and leathery leaves smell like wintergreen
when torn. In small white bell-shaped flowers hang below the leaves and the
small red berries remain on the plant almost all year.
Flowers - . July - August Fruit: August - next June
Mushrooms
We generally buy mushrooms from the store and cook them in our
homes. Mushrooms make a yummy and hearty addition to many meals,
especially for vegetarians because of their meaty texture and rich
flavor. But most people will advise against gathering wild mushrooms
because they are afraid that they will mistakenly eat a poisonous
species, getting sick or worse. As with all wild foods, common sense and
a good field guide are essential. There is no reason to fear mushrooms
if you keep a few rules in mind and stick to a couple easily identifiable
species. First, never eat a wild mushroom raw. Second, mushrooms will
often grow in clusters and while they may look like they are all the same
species, it is possible that they are not. So, check each mushroom
individually for positive identification. The two mushrooms in this
section are very easy to recognize and can be simply prepared. They are
also very tasty. See the suggested reading section for a good reference
book on mushrooms.
Giant Puff ball
Scientific name: Calvatia gigantea
Habitat: You will find these large fleshy mushrooms growing directly from
the ground in late summer to fall. They can be found alone or in groups in
open fields, pastures, wood clearings, hillsides, and roadsides.
Description: These mushrooms are hard to misidentify as long as you
gather specimens that are at least as large as a basketball. They should be
eaten when they are young and firm. When you slice them open, the flesh
should be pure white and look like a marshmallow.
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Chicken-of- the- Woods
Scientific name: Laetiporus sulphureus
Habitat: This grows clusters on dead stumps and logs. You will find it in the
late summer and fall.
Description: This fleshy shelf-like fungus is bright pumpkin orange above
and usually yellow underneath. The undersides also have tiny holes or pores.
It should be gathered and eaten only when young. The flesh should be thick,
soft, and watery. Collect only the outer edges as they are most tender.
Recipes and Tips
So this is the point where you might be
wondering how to prepare some of the wild
plant foods you've gathered. There are
recipes, tips, and suggested methods of
preparation on the following pages to help
you out with that. The recipes are all simple,
but you might want to ask an adult to assist
you with the cooking. Once you become
familiar with these wild plant foods, you'll
probably think up lots of other ways to use
them. Go ahead and get creative. ..playing with
your food is okay sometimes.
Fruit Recipes
Blueberry Pancakes
Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and the zest of one lemon to your usual
morning pancake batter. Drop 1/2 cup of pancake batter onto a hot,
greased griddle. Sprinkle a handful of fresh blueberries over each
pancake. When the pancake shows little bubbles, you know it is ready
to flip. Turn over and cook a few more minutes until golden brown. Top
with butter, maple syrup, or whatever you like best on your pancakes!
Wild Strawberry Jam
For really great peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, try using your own
homemade wild strawberry jam. Stir 4 cups of mashed strawberries
and 4 cups of sugar in a large pan and bring to a boil. Stir the mixture
until sugar dissolves and keep at a rolling boil for 14 minutes. Skim off
and discard white foam from top of mixture and then seal in hot
sterilized glass jars. You'll have the taste of summer all year long with
this jam.
Blackberry Custard
Blackberry custard is a simple and quick desert. Bring 4 cups
blackberries, 1 cup sugar, and a | cup hot water to a boil in a saucepan.
Lower heat and cook just until fruit starts to break down and mixture
becomes juicy. In a separate bowl combine 2 tablespoons of
cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water and then stir in about i
cup of the hot blackberry mixture. Add the contents of the bowl back
into the saucepan with the blueberry mixture. Simmer until thickened,
about 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool before eating, if you can wait
that long!
What to do with rose hips
Rose hips have a delicate flavor similar to apples and are good fresh
or cooked. Rose hips make an especially yummy jam or jelly. You can
also eat the flower petals. They can be steeped in hot water to make a
tea, added to salads for color, or candied.
What to do with dandelions
The young leaves, collected before the plant flowers in the early
spring, can be eaten raw like a salad though they are somewhat bitter.
To make them less bitter, blanch them in boiling salted water for 5 to
10 minutes. They make a good addition to many soups or try adding
them to scrambled eggs or egg salad. Young dandelion roots when
peeled and sliced can be used as a boiling vegetable like carrots or
parsnips. The young closed flower buds (gathered when they are still
tucked down in the rosette of leaves) can be prepared similarly, lightly
boiled in salted water and served with butter or margarine and salt
and pepper to taste. The mature yellow f lowerheads even make tasty
fritters. For an easy fry batter, combine 1 cup plain all-purpose flour,
1 tablespoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt with 1| cups ice cold
seltzer water (the carbonation makes the batter light). Whisk all
ingredients together, making sure there aren't any lumps, until the
mixture reaches the consistency of a thin pancake batter.
What to do with cattails
There are many ways you can prepare this wild veggie, depending on
what time of the year it is.
In the early spring, the tender white insides of the first 1 to 1 § feet
of the peeled young stems can be eaten raw in salads. They can also be
lightly boiled in salted water for about 15 minutes, similar to
asparagus.
In the late spring, the plump greenish yellow immature flower spikes
can be gathered and eaten just like corn on the cob. Husk off the thin
sheaths and submerge in rapidly boiling water for a few minutes until
tender. Spread the hot cooked stalks with butter or margarine.
In the early summer, the same flower spikes become filled with lots
of thick golden yellow pollen. Gather the pollen by shaking or rubbing
the flower spikes over bags or buckets. Sift the pollen to clean it. You
can replace half of the needed flour with the cattail pollen in your
favorite recipes. This pollen and flour mix is a good way of adding
protein to bread products.
What to do with beach peas
Gather the peas from inside the pods when they are young. They
should be bright green, small, and tender. When they get older, they
dry out and don't taste very good. Also, do not eat raw beach peas.
Boil the peas in lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes and serve with
butter and black pepper.
Nut Recipes
Roasted Nuts
Spread shelled nuts out on a sheet pan and put them in a 300°F oven
for about 15-25 minutes. Stir the nuts several times to make sure
they aren't getting dark. When you can smell the nuts, they're done.
For salted nuts, toss the nuts in oil before cooking, about a tablespoon
for each cup of nuts. Sprinkle the nuts with salt as soon as they come
out of the oven. Cool on paper towels.
Hazelnut Candy
Once the nuts have been roasted, this easy hazelnut candy can be
made without any additional cooking. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 egg
white and 2 cups powdered sugar. Add 1 tablespoon softened butter
or margarine and stir until creamy. Mix in 2 cups chopped roasted
hazelnuts and form into bite-size balls. Enjoy!
Cold Drink Recipes
Staghorn Sumac "Lemonade"
This drink tastes and looks like pink lemonade. Collect the whole fruit
cluster of the plants and rub the berries gently to crush them and
release the juices. Soak the berries in cold water for 15-20 minutes
until you have a pink liquid. Remove the berries, trying to keep the
cluster intact, and pour the juice through cheesecloth to sort out the
tiny hairs. Sweeten to taste and serve with ice.
Highbush Cranberry Juice Cocktail
Put fresh berries in a saucepan and add just enough cold water to
cover them. Crush the fruit and simmer over medium heat only until
the fruit is soft. Strain the juice through cheesecloth so that it is
clear. The juice will be slightly sour. Mix the juice with sparkling
water and desired sweetener for a festive summer drink.
Iced Wintergreen Tea
Wintergreen leaves are readily available all year and make a
refreshing minty iced tea. Simply tear the leaves and add to boiling
water, using a teaspoon of leaves for every cup of water. Let the tea
cool and serve over ice. This tea is also good hot, especially after
meals.
What to do with a giant puff ball
One giant puffball can be a meal in itself! Cut mushroom into cubes or
strips. Dip the pieces into raw eggs that have been lightly whisked.
Let the excess egg drip off and then dredge the pieces in flour that
has been seasoned with some salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Fry the egg
and flour coated puffball pieces in butter or margarine until golden
brown.
What to do with chicken-of-the-woods
This mushroom is named for its mild flavor and texture, which is
similar to white meat chicken. They can be sliced and fried in butter
and garlic. When cooked this way, they make an excellent vegetarian
sandwich. Try adding them to omlettes. They can also be simmered for
30 minutes and added to soups and stews.
My Map
Bar Harbor
Mount Desert Island is 13
miles wide and 19 miles long,
making it the third largest
island on the east coast. The
way the island looks today is
a result of the movement of
a huge glacier that flowed
over the land for at least
10,000 years.
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Suggested Reading
Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America
by Lee Allen Peterson (The Peterson Field Guide Series)
Free for the Eating by Bradford Angier
Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora
3 5105 00087 7023